At that moment, a storm of thoughts crossed Norman Osborn's mind.
If word got out about his hereditary illness, it would not only shatter his life but also destroy Harry's hope. He could never allow such a thing to happen.
And yet, Nolan spoke with calm assurance:
"I don't think it's really a secret. Anyone familiar with the Osborn family could probably guess it. From my understanding, no one in the family has ever lived past forty. So, Mr. Osborn, your condition has already reached a critical stage, hasn't it?"
Nolan's words ripped through every hidden wound in Norman's soul. He felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly powerless. In that instant, he sank into his chair, drained of all energy.
"Speak," Norman said hoarsely. "What do you want?"
Nolan smiled gently.
"You misunderstand me. I'm not here to destroy Oscorp. On the contrary, I'm here to help you. I've been working on a serum, which I call the Super Soldier Serum. It has some unresolved challenges, so I'd like to collaborate with Oscorp. Of course, collaboration comes at a price, but I believe this partnership would benefit both of us. You provide your serum research, and I provide mine. Isn't that mutually advantageous?"
He struck first, boldly and confidently.
Nolan's position, however, was precarious. He had just arrived in this universe, and aside from a single identity, he possessed nothing tangible. Oscorp was among the most elite corporations. Why would Norman Osborn trust an unknown outsider?
But Nolan's confident display, coupled with the undeniable truth of his insight, convinced Osborn. Without hesitation, Norman agreed.
With the partnership secured, a smile crept across Nolan's face. This was how collaborations began.
In the following days, Nolan engaged directly with Oscorp's laboratories. At first skeptical, Norman gradually recognized Nolan's abilities, and the partnership solidified.
Soon, Nolan leveraged Oscorp's resources to establish his own enterprise.
LochTech was born. From zero to a fully operational company in under two weeks, the speed was astonishing.
Though he longed to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the multiverse's vast knowledge domain remained out of reach. Researching it required a fully capable Red Queen, something he didn't yet possess.
And all of it required money vast sums of it.
As Nolan's ventures flourished, Peter Parker smoothly graduated and gradually grew accustomed to his life as Spider-Man.
Ever since Nolan had saved Ben Parker, he had maintained regular contact with the Parker family. Later, through a chance event, Nolan discovered Peter's powers and became the only person who knew his secret identity.
One late night, Nolan concluded another day of research. With the Green Goblin serum data in hand, he had immersed himself in studying its side effects and understood them thoroughly.
Most importantly, he could see a path toward perfecting the serum. For Nolan, this was the best news possible, short of leaving this universe entirely.
Suddenly, a knock came at the window.
Sure enough, Peter Parker was perched outside. Nolan let him in, and Peter removed his mask.
"Mr. Rock, I'm sorry to bother you so late," Peter said.
Nolan smiled. "No need to apologize. Remember, I'm the only one who knows your little secret."
Peter's face flushed with shyness. "Mr. Rock… I've liked a girl for a long time, and… I just kissed her."
Nolan blinked in surprise. "Congratulations, Peter."
"But she doesn't know it was me. She thinks it was Spider-Man…" Peter stammered, flustered, though Nolan understood immediately.
After a moment, Nolan replied, "Well, I think you could have the courage to remove your mask and kiss her directly, but even so, this is a good start."
Peter nodded vigorously. He had come solely to share this joyful moment. For him, it was a milestone, and he couldn't wait to tell someone.
Looking at the earnest young Spider-Man, Nolan felt a twinge of sentimentality. Of all Marvel superheroes, Spider-Man had always been his favorite. Pure and uncompromising, he lacked Iron Man's fame, Hulk's sheer strength, or the recognition of others, yet perhaps it was precisely these qualities that forged the essence of Spider-Man.
"Recently, the Daily Bugle has been painting you in a negative light. Have you thought about giving them a little lesson?" Nolan asked suddenly.
Peter paused, then shook his head. "It's fine. They're just ordinary people. Their criticism can't truly hurt me, as long as someone still believes in me."
Nolan sighed softly. "Sometimes, public opinion is more dangerous than you think."
But he said no more. That was Peter's choice to make. Watching Peter don his mask and leave, Nolan couldn't help but smile. He had unknowingly become Spider-Man's emotional mentor.
The role felt surprisingly rewarding.
Days passed peacefully. Spider-Man patrolled under the Daily Bugle's news screens, fighting crime while his relationship with Mary Jane blossomed.
Meanwhile, Nolan Osborn's situation worsened. His illness had progressed to the point where death seemed inevitable.
Even though Nolan Rock's Super Soldier Serum research had accelerated the development of the Green Goblin serum, Norman could no longer wait. The board had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Oscorp's bioengineering division, which consumed enormous funds each year without producing results.
After another urgent meeting, Norman confronted the lead researcher.
"Tell me, how much longer?"
The researcher replied, "The serum is in its initial stages. Clinical applications are far off, but progress is good. With Dr. Rock's involvement, development is accelerating. Next, we'll conduct biological trials, then attempt clinical testing."
"It's too late," Norman interrupted, his breathing harsh and uneven.
"What?" the researcher asked, confused.
"Arrange the clinical trial immediately," Norman commanded.
"But we have no human subjects. We should start with animal testing monkeys first!" the researcher protested.
"I will be the subject," Norman said firmly.
He could not wait any longer. The board had issued an ultimatum. The trial had to proceed. Reluctantly, the researcher complied, using Norman himself as the test subject.
After injection with the Green Goblin serum, Norman felt the hereditary disease within him rapidly reverse. Ecstasy surged through him.
Yet alongside this power, a darker, more sinister persona began to emerge.
"The perfect serum," he murmured, watching the researcher he had just overpowered. The Green Goblin persona took full control.
"Those wretched insects must be purged," he thought, turning his eyes toward the board members who had defied him. No one could threaten him now.
The company's anniversary was near, and he would show everyone the true terror of the Green Goblin.
Meanwhile, Nolan observed from his vantage, donning the protective Thor armor, and chuckled softly. For the first time, he felt he had some means of self-preservation.